In 1989, my father moved from England to Albany, New York to begin a new job. With him, he brought a book titled History of the 35th Division in the Great War and a small hand-drawn map. These were a going away gift from his mother, my grandmother. The map was drawn by his grandfather, Harold Chadwick, while he was stationed in France during the First World War. He served as a Lieutenant of 19th Infantry in the 35th Division of the British Army. Harold drew this map in 1918 as he fought in the Second Battle of the Somme. The map includes annotations to indicate where he was on the battlefield. The book describes the 35th Division’s role on the Western Front in WWI. It provides detailed accounts of the battles depicted in Harold’s map. He is referenced on several pages for his role in these battles. On page 225, a battle in Aveluy Woods is described, one of the places labeled in Harold's map. Out of the 140 soldiers and 2 officers who fought in this battle, only 20 soldiers and 1 officer survived. The one officer who survived was my great-grandfather.  This book and map serve as a reminder of Harold and the sacrifices he made as a young man during the WWI. After his death in 1973, these items became the only things that remain to describe his role in the Second Battle of the Somme. My father plans on passing these items down to my brother to ensure Harold’s history will not be forgotten. 

– Jillian Ridler

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant